6zo THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



extraordinary interest in diffusing what lie deemed useful infor- 

 mation among his benighted subjects. He made a Collection of 

 Good Books in favor of Truth and Virtue, in which the doctrine 

 of the divine right of kings and the duty of passive obedience on 

 the part of their subjects were taught in the most emphatic terms. 

 These cheaply printed pamphlets and little volumes were scat- 

 tered broadcast over the country ; but as the great majority of 

 the people were unable to read them, owing to the general illit- 

 eracy which his system of government had produced, the priests 

 were instructed to communicate the contents of them to their 

 parishioners, and to make the ideas contained in them the subject 

 of frequent discourse. His Majesty also caused to be published a 

 New Philosophic-Democratic Vocabulary indispensable to every 

 one who desires to understand the New Revolutionary Language, 

 in which the logic of the Holy Office is combined with the rhetoric 

 of the barracks and of Billingsgate to heap contempt upon liberal 

 opinions. But the famous series reaches its climax in the afore- 

 mentioned Catechism, the capolavoro of Monsignore Apuzzo, who, 

 to the exercise of his archiepiscopal functions, added the sinecure 

 of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the confidential post 

 of tutor to the crown prince. 



In the preface the author addresses himself directly to "princes, 

 bishops, magistrates, instructors of youth, and all men of good- 

 will," and enjoins upon them to use their authority, their money, 

 and their influence to secure the widest possible distribution of 

 his work. Those who have control of the public funds in the 

 cities of the realm, he says, should apply them generously and 

 systematically to this worthy end, and assures these officials that 

 God will bless their pious embezzlements. 



The following is a translation of the first chapter, which treats 

 of Philosophy : 



Disciple. What is philosophy ? 



Master. It is the science of truth, or rather the science which 

 teaches us to distinguish truth from error. 



" D. Is it necessary to teach this science to very young per- 

 sons ? 



" M. It would not be necessary, since they would learn it grad- 

 ually from experience and from the words and writings of honest 

 and wise men ; but at the present time it is necessary that Chris- 

 tian teachers should begin early to instruct their pupils in the 

 true philosophy, in order that they may not learn from others a 

 perverse and false philosophy. 



" D. Why is it that some persons wish to teach a wicked phi- 

 losophy, and desire to diffuse error rather than truth ? 



" M. Because they are vicious and bad, and wish that all other 

 men should become vicious and bad. 



a 

 it 



